Improvement in steam-baths



thrust nes "CHARLES KAESTNER, v0]? CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

.Letters Patent No. 113,894, dated April 18, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN .STEAM-BATHS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pari: of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Knnsrnnu, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and in the State of Illinois, have inventedI certain-new and useful Improvements iny Bathing Apparatus; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing making apart of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my bath when in use; I

Figure 2' is a similar view ofthe same with the wrapper removed;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the steam-generator ;V v

Figures 4 and 5 are, respectively, a vertical crosssection and a vertical longitudinal section through the center of said generator; and

vFigure 6 is a perspective view of the .metal block employed, when heated, for generating steam.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

My invention belongs to a class of bathing-apparatus employed for administering vapor-baths; and

p It consists in generating steam by means of water vcontained within a tank or reservoir placed beneath the bathers chair, and emitted .therefrom in suitable quantities and as desired upn a heated suri'acigsubstantially as is hereinafter shown.

In the annexed drawing* A represents thev wrapper, constructed of any suitable fabric in the form shown, its lower end being open and provided at suitable intervals with ordinary hooks for attaching the'same to a carpet, while its upper end is inclosed except at its center, where is ieft an opening oi' suitable size and shape to contain the neck of the person operated upon.

A hood, B, issecured around the edge of said opcning, and when the wrapper is in use incluses -the head of said person', while two smaller openings, C, placed in front and covered by aap, permit the hands to be passed outward through said wrapper for Ythe purpose of adjusting puy of the apparatus. For

convenience the Wrapper is divided in front and the overlapping edges secured together by means of buttous.

As thus constructed the wrapper is complete, and is used in connectiouwith a chair, 1), of ordinary construction, but having somewhat more than ordinary dimensions horizontally, the patient being seated in said chair with said wrapper placed over both, and hooked at its lower edge to the carpet.

In order to sustain the wrapper so as to keep it from sagging upon the shoulders of the bather I employ an arm, E, constructed of metal, in the form shown,

attached to the wall, while its front end has pivotedl to and supports two bars, G, corresponding in length to the diagonal diameter of said wrapper and arranged in the form of a cross, with their ends immediately over the upper corners of the latter, with whieh'they are connected by means of suitable cords, g.

yAnother means of accomplishing this resplt V(as shown in iig. 2) consists of a rod, H, bent in theform of astaple, with its ends passing through suitable lugs, I, attached to the sides of the chair at or near its corners. A set-screw, fi, passing through the side of each lug into the opening containing the rod, ena

bles the latter to be rmly locked in place when adjusted to vertical position.

As thus constructed and arranged it will be seen that these supports can beeasily and quickly changed so as to cause the height of the wrapper to conform to that of the bather, and that 'they not only furnish a perfect support for said wrapper, but also hold the same in position laterally.

The device for generating steam consists of asquare metal box, K, supported upon suitable feet, k, and inclos'ed at its upper side by means of a second box or tank, L', having a corresponding size and shape,

horizontally.

The tank L is provided upon itslower side with lugs or ribs, l, which, passing into the upper end oi' the box K, secure ,the relative later-ai positions of -said tank and boXl, while verticallyvthey are held slightly apart by means ot' four raised bearings upon the lower side of said tank at its corners.

A cock, M, passing v,downward through the bottom of the tank, near onev end thereof, and operated by means of a handle, m, permits water contained therein to be passed into the box K with any desired degree of rapidity.

The block N, used for vaporizing water from the tank, is formed 4of cast metal, and has a shape corresponding to the space between thebottoins of said tank and the box K, but is 'somewhat less in size than said space.

' Two ribs, k', extending 4transversely across the bottoiu of said box, prevent the block from coming in contact therewith.

The upper surface of said block is provided with three grooves, n and n', extending lengthwise of the same'and arranged parallel with each other, the ccnter one of which, n, inclines downward regiilarly from one end to near the oppositeend of said block, Where it opens into a transverse groove, nf', from which the outer parallel grooves e incline in an' opposite direc# opposite end of the same, and then, dividing, will pass down the onter'grooves to their lower ends, baving traversed the length of said block twice.

A. staple, O, placed in the center of the block N so as to enable it to be lifted, and a bail-handle, P, attached' to the box K for a like purpose, complete the device, the operation of which isY as follows:

The block being. suitably heated is placed'within the box, and the tank supplied with waterand placed in position, with the cock over the upper end of the center groove, and the' whole device -tlienplaced -beneath the chair, with the handle of the cock within convenient reach of thel bathers hand; After having, been suitably incase'd by means of the wrapper the bather turns the cock soins to canse water to pass from the tank upon the heated block, where it is irnmediately converted into steam, which, passing out-- "wardbetween said tankE and the b ox, tills the ,wrap-4 per, the' quantity of said steam-beingl regulatdby the dow of water. A

.As the block becomes chilled the water owsfur Y -ther through the inclined grooves before being converted into steam; but from the length ot said grooves it is impossible for water to collect therein and runv .has heretofore been possiblel Having thus fully described the nature and merits of my invention, i

What I claim as new, is-

1. The; means employed for generating. steam, consisting of the box K,the tank L, and the block N, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2..'1l1e block N,-provided with theinclined com' municating grooves grand n', in combination with apparatus for iurnishing' a supply of water, substantially as`and for the purpose specified. v 4 In testimony that I claim the foregoing I4 have hereunto set my'haud this l27 th day of February, 1871.

CHARLES KAESTNER.

Witnesses: v

0. J.- Gonsn, A. H. WAGNER. 

